The 5 Best 3D Printers for Beginners in 2021

Best Overall: Comgrow Official Creality Ender 3 V2 3D Printer

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The Official Creality Ender 3 V2 is our choice for best beginner 3D printer by a landslide. The price point makes this an affordable option to get started in the 3D printing hobby, coming in at less than $300, but the performance and quality are not representative of a cheap printer. 

This printer can handle PLA and ABS, and it can also handle flexible filaments, but may require some alterations. The carborundum glass platform ensures the print bed has even heat, and it heats very quickly, assuring each layer—especially your first layer—sticks to the bed without requiring any adhesives. It has a solid print bed size, allowing a maximum build volume of 8.7 x 8.7 x 9.8 inches. 

The 4.3-inch color screen is not a touchscreen, but it’s easy to navigate and makes changing the settings simple. In the event of a power loss, there is a resume printing function to pick back up at the last layer. Well thought-out additions, like knobs for tension belts and the extruder, make adding new filament and adjustments easy, while the included tool drawers keep everything you need in a handy place.

It is a bit difficult to change out your filament mid-print, and things print better if you upgrade the extruder, but this is not absolutely necessary. Leveling of the print bed can be a bit tough to get right, but you should get a good amount of prints done between leveling. Overall, this printer is the perfect choice to get you started in this fun and creative hobby.

_{Type: Filament (PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG) | Features: Resume printing function, silent motherboard, extruder rotary knob, carborundum glass platform | Connectivity: None | LCD Screen: 4.3-inch color LCD screen}

Best Value: AnyCubic Photon UV LCD 3D Printer

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As the only resin printer on our list, the AnyCubic Photon Mono UV 3D printer comes with an industrial CNC metal design with a satin finish. It looks cool in your office or game room, and it’s easy to set up and use with the included software. There are only four settings you need to adjust out of the box, unlike most other 3D printers, which often require full assembly and lots of settings tweaks. 

Despite the fewer settings, you're not making any big sacrifices. The resolution is reasonably high, with good accuracy and smooth detail with XY at 47 microns and Z layer height down to ten microns. In other words, this provides a smoother finish than a low-end filament printer would. The interface is interactive, letting you preview the monitor and print status in real-time. The included software is also a nice way to design and learn your way around the printer. 

Because this is a resin printer that prints using liquid resin, it behaves differently than a filament printer. Filament printers print plastic that cools quickly, and they don’t need a cover. Resin printers cure using UV light, so they require a cover to block ineffective light from messing up the prints. With a resin printer, you’ll also need an area where you can wash and cure your prints, and this is added upkeep too. Sure, a resin printer puts out a smoother end product, but it’s a different process than using a filament printer. These are all factors to keep in mind.

_{Type: Resin | Features: Included slicer software, UV blocking cover, Easy FEB replacement, fast print speed | Connectivity: None | LCD Screen: 6.08-inch 2K monochrome LCD}

Best Budget: MYNT3D Super 3D Pen

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If you're working with a shoestring budget, the MYNT3D Super 3D Pen is worth considering. While it's admittedly not a traditional 3D printer, it still works like a filament printer, and it may be your only real option in the sub-$50 range. The pen is exactly as it sounds; it emits instantly-cooled filament, so you can “draw” a shape in 3D. The biggest issue with opting for a 3D pen over a printer is accuracy, as you won’t get the precision you’d get with an actual 3D printer.

On the other hand, the good news for beginners is that the Super 3D allows you to quickly and easily create 3D shapes without needing to first design them on a computer. You can print free hand, and there’s also almost no setup involved—just insert some filament into the pen, then start creating shapes. All you have to do is turn on the pen, wait for the indicator light to turn red, adjust the speed slider, then press the feed button to print. The pen is handheld and easy to transport, so you can bring it with you to craft on the go.

_{Type: 3D Pen (PLA, ABS) | Features: Readiness indicator light, speed slider, ultrasonic sealed nozzle | Connectivity: None | LCD Screen: None}

Best for Tinkerers: Monoprice Select Mini 2

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The Monoprice Select Mini 2 is a solid mid-range printer for beginners who like to tinker. The 3D printer is slightly advanced compared to some of the others on our list, as it offers built-in software and can work with your slicer of choice. That means if you're already familiar with a popular program like Cura or Repetier, for example, you're good to go.

There are other things to like about the Monoprice Select Mini 2. It ships fully assembled, so you won't have to cobble it together, it has a MicroSDTM card with preinstalled models, it can work with a wide array of filaments, it prints at 55mm/second, and it has a 3.7-inch IPS screen for easy navigation.

On the downside, the Monoprice Select Mini 2 has a relatively small build scope given its open design (4.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches) and it has no protective enclosure—you’ll need to be extra careful around the heated build plate so you don’t burn yourself.

_{Type: Filament (PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG) | Features: Wi-Fi connectivity, fully assembled, heated build plate, small footprint design | Connectivity: Wi-Fi | LCD Screen: 3.7-inch IPS color screen}